August’s beautiful smart lock goes up for pre-order at $199, shipping in Q1 2014

The inventive and modern August smart lock is inching closer to availability today. The company has begun taking pre-orders for its beautiful Yves Behar-designed product that, like the Nest thermostat, aims to reinvigorate a market that’s long lacked any real innovation. August set up a reservation list shortly after unveiling its “secure, simple, and social way to manage your home’s lock,” but now it’s moving one step further by collecting payment information with all pre-orders. To take some sting out of an extremely high $199 asking price, August is offering some nice incentives for buyers that get in early; you’ll get to choose from a selection of limited-edition colors and receive priority shipping when the smart lock ships in the first quarter of 2014.

Aside from making lock opening more social, August also wants to make sure you never accidentally leave the house unlocked again. It’s today revealing a new feature called EverLock. The technology, which will come included with the main August mobile app, can sense when you’ve closed a door behind you and is smart enough to automatically lock the door — without any input on your end. We’re very much looking forward to getting our hands on the August smart lock in the months ahead, so stay tuned for more coverage.